Socket wrench having socket size reducing means



Nov. 26, 1957 M. E. cusHMAN 2, 7

SOCKET WRENCH HAVING SOCKET SIZE REDUCING MEANS Filed March 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3o 5 22 30 25 0 /6 Z4 Z0 24/ 1 4 v, Z8 m j; M5

MAM 'E'f ogfiam H6. 5 BY M A ORNEY Nov. 26, 1957 cus 2,814,227

SOCKET WRENCH HAVING SOCKET SIZE REDUCING MEANS Filed March 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR MAURICE E. CUSH MAN ATT RN United States Patent SOCKET WRENCH HAVING socKErsIzE REDUCING Maurice E. Cushman, Verona, N. J. Application March 5,'1956,Serial No.5.69;571

2 Claims. (Cl.-81--.185)

This invention relates to socket wrenchesof the type wherein anumber ofsocket wrench elements are nested ina-single assembly. In such cluster wrenches, itis the general. intention to make anyone; of. several wrench. sizes immediately available-for= ;use, and to'obviate the need for changing wrench elementson the wrench handle.

While-there are wrench clusters in the prior art, most of them are not particularly practical, as they do not meet all of several fundamental requirements, which include ruggedness, simplicity, strength, and relative ease ofmanufacture and use.

- In general, the wrench cluster of this invention is adapted for use on a more or lessstandard wrench handle having forinstance, asquare plug-likeend. The cluster includes a main .element'carrying a square socket 'for engagement by the wrench handle end, the main. element being formed as a wrench socket of one, relatively large, size. Nested socket sleeves slide in and out of the main element,-selective1y, and detent and sliding buttons are provided, so that any one of the sockets in the cluster may be made-ready'foruse simply and easily, by actuation of the buttons.

I Objects "of the invention are, to provide a multiple socket wrench cluster with thesocket elements readily retractible and projectible for use, tou'provide a simple and rugged wrench cluster which is easy to operate, to provide wrench sizes that are practical, to provide a wrench cluster which is easy to fabricate, to provide wrench element detents whichhold selected sockets firmly in retracted or extended positions, as desired, and to provide a wrench cluster wherein the outermost wrench element provides the principal structural support for inner wrench elements when they are in use.

Examples of practical arrangements of the invention are shown in the annexed drawings, in which similar reference characters designate similar parts, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a socket cluster, partly broken away and in section, showing movable sockets retracted,

Fig. 2 is an elevation like Fig. 1, showing one movable socket extended,

Fig. 3 is an elevation like Fig. 1, showing movable sockets extended,

Fig. 4 is an elevation like Fig. 1 in general, but showing other parts in section,

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section like part of Fig. 5, showing an operation button in an intermediate position,

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of a socket cluster showing an alternative detent,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary section on the line 88 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a general view of the socket housing including a handle, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an internal socket element.

In all the figures, a main wrench member 10 is formed. at one end with a socket 12 to receive the end of a wrench handle, this socket usually, but not necessarily,

2,814,227 Patented Nov. 26, 1957 "ice being square'as shown. The member 10 is preferably externally cylindrical, and is interiorly formed, through a major part of its length, as a wrench socket 14 of certain size. I show in all the figures, wrench sockets 0t 12 point form, although other socket forms may be used. The socket 14 may have, for example, a nominal size for hexagonal nuts or screw heads of between flats. Sleeved within socket 14 is a socket .elcment16 havinga 12 point exterior form to slide in socket -14, and a 12 point xinter-ior form to engage, for'instance, hexagonal screw heads or nuts of nominal /z"' size. Sleeved within socketelement 16 is a socket element 18 having a 12 point exterior form to slide in socket 16, and a 12 point interior form to engage hexagonal units or screw heads of nominal size.

With these size increments, the wall thickness of the internal cluster elements must be nominally 35, less an allowance for free sliding within embracing elements. This thin element is practical in this invention, for the sleeve elements when in operating position are embraced and supported by embracing elements, particularly by the strong external member 10, whose thickness is adequate to withstand the bursting stress on the socket induced by tightening a nut or screw. The inner elements 16 and 18 do not project beyond the element 14 whenthey-are active.

Size increments may be difierent from as described above, and more or less than the number of elementsshown may be used in a cluster assembly. However,the use of one external socket and two sleeves is practical in the cluster. The sizes noted are only exemplary; other clusters may be made up for smaller or larger size ranges. Of course, clusters may also be made for metric as well as English nominal sizes.

The elements 16. and 18 are preferably of the same length, which is a little more than half the depth of the socket 14. Dimensions are so chosen that, when the sockets 14 and 16 are exposed for use as. in Figs. 1 and 2 respectively, the effective socket depth is substantially thesame or greater than the height of a standardnut of corresponding size.

- The sleeves -16- and18-may be tube-like in form, and may be made from specially drawn 12-point tubing. The dimensional tolerances will need to be held closely enough, so that the clearance between an inner element and an outer one is small enough to be taken up by the strain in the inner element, whereby the inner element gains support against bursting from the outer element.

Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 10 the elements 16 and 18 may be provided with one or more longitudinal slots 17 and 19 respectively. Slot 17 extends the full length of the sleeve element, and slot 19 extends a substantial distance along the element from the nut engaging end. The length of slot 19 should be greater than the height of a normal nut or cap screw head which the element is intended to engage. One or the other, or both of slots 17 and 19 may be used. Such slotted cluster elements act like shims within the solid outer member 10 to adapt to smaller nut sizes. The slotted elements have no inherent strength against bursting, and merely transfer the driving load to the member 10. The slotted sleeve elements may readily be manufactured to close tolerances by form-rolling sheet stock strips. They have a further advantage in reducing the criticality of fits between sleeve elements, as they can resiliently accommodate themselves to a good sliding fit.

For operation and retention of the socket elements 16 and 18 the main member 10 is slotted longitudinally as at 20 and 22, each slot having an arcuate end 24 whose diameter is greater than the transverse width of the corresponding slot. A screw 26, having a conical spring washer 28 under its head 30, passes through the slot 20 and threadedly engages the rightward end (as shown) of the socket element 16. As shown in Fig. 4, and also in Fig. l, the sleeve 16 is retracted, and the conical washer 28springs into the arcuate slot end 24. By pushing left wardly on the head 30, the washer 28 is sprung out of the slot end and slides along slot 22 as the screw/ 26 and element 16 move leftwardly to an extendedposition. When extended to the leftward limit, the spring 28 engages the leftward arcuate end of the slot, resiliently holding the element 16 in the extended position.

The rightward end of element 16 is cut away at 32, to clear a screw 34 passing through slot 20 to threadedly engage the socket element 18." This screw, also equipped with a conical spring washer 28, operates the socket element 18 in the same manner as screw 26 operates socket element 16. I The two screws 26 and 34 act as operating members and enable selective extension and retraction of the socket elements, except that extension of socket element 18, when both elements are retracted, also extends element 16. This assures structural support for element 18 by element 16 and by member 10. After assembly of the socket cluster, screws 26 and 34 are driven to the extent necessary to place proper tension on spring washers 28, after which they are staked to prevent subsequent screw turning.

While Figs. 1-4 show the screws 26 and 34 at right angles to one another, or a quadrant apart on the member 10, they may be disposed opposite one another as in Fig. 5, or in suitable positions if more than two sliding wrench elements are used. The wrench body member 10 may be stamped or marked with the nominal wrench sizes for which the wrench cluster is adapted. The different size markings may be located at the ends of the slots 20 and 22, 'so the user may inspect the positions of the actuating screws relative to the markings at the ends of the slots.

. While not shown, it is apparent that a Wrench cluster according to the invention may be made double-ended, whereby six or more, instead of three or more, socket sizes become available in a single cluster unit.

Figs. 7 and 8 show an alternative form of spring detent, wherein a short thin-walled cylindrical spring 40 embraces the screw such as 26. This spring 40 is alternative to the conical spring washer 28 in the other figures. The

spring 40 expands into the arcuate slot ends to act as a detent, but deforms readily to pass along the slots such as 20 and 22 when extension and retraction of the socket elements is desired.

While I have shown and described two embodiments of the invention in preferred forms, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For a definition of that which I consider the essence of my invention, reference should be had to the following claims.

I claim:

1. A multiple socket wrench comprising an outer socket member strong against bursting stress having accommodation for a turning handle at one end and having a wrench socket of relatively large size formed in its other end, a thin-walled socket element sleeved therein, slidable therealong and turnable therewith, said element being longitudinally slotted from its one working end adjacent the wrench socket end of the outer member, in-' wardly toward its other end a distance at least as great as the height of a normal nut or capscrew head to be engaged thereby, and means to position said element between an inactive position within said outer member with the outer member socket available to engage a nut or the like, and an active position wherein the working end of said element is substantially coincident with the wrench end of said outer member, said positioning means having a conical spring detent thereon, engaged with said outer member, to'hold said element in any selected position along said outer member.

2. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein the longitudinal split in said socket element is coextensive in length with the element.

References Cited in the file of this patent Great Britain Mar. 8. 1923 

